To wrap up the last six months of my life, to describe something that largely defies word and explanation…well, let’s just say that has proven to be more than a little difficult.  When I began in May, I had an idea of what tour may hold, an idea that upon post-bus life reflection, only vaguely resembles what it really was.  I knew that we would do 87 dinners.  But let me tell you, 87 on paper is vastly different than 87 in practice.  I knew there would be a bus, trucks and trailers, seven other people, and a lot of work.  I expected to learn about food and wine, and farms and locality.  I expected to taste new things, learn about previously-unknown US wine regions, and see unfamiliar ingredients.  I expected to meet many people, seven of whom I hoped I would really like.

In actuality, I got more than I expected…more challenges and more opportunities; more work and more experiences.  I hoped for friends, and I got family members.  And with all that we did, ate, and learned, with all of the states and countries that we traversed, the miles we logged, and bonds that we made…well, six months felt more like three years.

And to return from that, to try to assimilate back into the life that you previously lived or to figure out where to go from here, has proven more difficult than anything I ever faced on tour.  A dinner for 150 in the pouring rain?  That’s nothing compared to this.  It’s a rather unsettling feeling to be suddenly stationary after constantly moving and working for so long.  I didn’t just acclimate to that lifestyle; I quickly came to love it.

While I try to figure out what’s next, while I try to fully grasp all that has happened, there are a few things that I know to be true.  I know that I would not change those six months for anything in the world.  It was an experience unlike any other I have had in my 26 years, or may ever have again.  I am truly thankful for the opportunity I was given, for the people that I met, and for the influence that Outstanding in the Field has had on my life.

When I started this blogging expedition, I really didn’t know what I was doing.  I knew I loved to write, but I had never done so publicly.  I knew I wanted to document this amazing journey, but I wasn’t sure just how I would do it.  So, I learned as I went.  To those who followed our adventures, our challenges, and our triumphs; to all of the readers, my sincerest gratitude.  It has been an incredible bus ride, and thank you for letting me share it.